Perfectly Imperfect
by It'sNotEasyBeingQueen
Summary: One-shot set in the Spellbound verse, taking place after the last installment. Blaine excitedly buys something to help decorate the bookstore, but Kurt isn't so sure about it.


**Perfectly Imperfect**

Autumn was in the air once more, ushering in Kurt's favorite season of the year. He happily hummed as he puttered around the bookstore, arranging the feature table to artistically display some new arrivals alongside a few tasteful miniature gourds. It was too early to decorate for Halloween, but some seasonal décor was certainly a propos.

The small silver bell above the door chimed brightly as the heavy wooden door swung open. "Morning, Kurt!" Blaine called. Kurt smiled, glancing at the grandfather clock before turning around.

"You're a little late," he teased. "I was beginning to think…" he stopped short as his fiancé came into view, grinning proudly.

"I know, I know, but the florist down the street put out a big display of pumpkins. I couldn't resist buying one! I thought maybe you could put it on the counter," he said excitedly, holding his purchase out for Kurt to see.

Kurt approached slowly, eyes narrowed and head cocked slightly to one side. The rather large pumpkin in Blaine's hands – at least, Kurt _thought _it was a pumpkin – was not what he was expecting. It was a good size, Kurt noted. Beyond that, however, it left a lot to be desired.

Kurt shifted his gaze from the pumpkin to Blaine, inwardly cursing his own expressive face when he saw the crestfallen look on Blaine's.

"You don't like it?" Blaine asked, his voice small and drained of all previous excitement.

"What? No. I mean, not _no_, I don't like it. I do! I do like it. It's just…it's kind of…" Kurt babbled, flustered and trying desperately to erase the kicked puppy expression from Blaine's features.

Blaine sighed heavily, pulling the pumpkin back towards himself. He walked over to the antique wood and marble counter where Kurt conducted his sales. "I know it's not perfect," he admitted, putting the gourd down and watching as it wobbled, righting it twice after it fell on its side. He patted it lightly once it settled in place.

Kurt bit his lip, not quite certain what was going on, but deciding to tread carefully. He crossed the room and took his usual spot behind the counter to face Blaine and his pumpkin directly.

The pumpkin. The poor, poor pumpkin, Kurt thought. It had almost no stem. One side was nearly flat, probably from having grown on its side. The bottom was uneven, hence the prior wobbling and tipping over. The front side (if the flat part could be considered the "back") actually wasn't too bad, except for some patchy greenish discoloration. Overall, it was precisely the kind of pumpkin that absolutely _no one_ would pick.

"When I was a kid," Blaine began, his voice distant, "my mom would hire people to decorate for all of the seasons. In the fall, they'd come out with hay bales and corn stalks and, of course, pumpkins. Perfectly round, perfectly orange, perfectly _perfect_ everything." He distractedly brushed a finger down one particularly deep crease of the pumpkin as he spoke.

"They had a lot of those at the florist," he continued, "all symmetrical and flawless. But then I saw this one. It was on the bottom shelf, kind of separated from all of the others. It seemed…lonely, I guess. The shopkeeper actually apologized when I brought it to the register, thinking I was complaining. He said he'd meant to throw it out, not put it on display, and he encouraged me to pick out a 'good one' instead."

Kurt reached out and touched Blaine's arm softly. Their eyes met, and Kurt felt a wave of affection come over him as a breeze blew a flurry of auburn-colored leaves past the window.

"I couldn't just leave it there, Kurt," Blaine continued earnestly. "I mean, I know it isn't the prettiest or the best, but that doesn't make it any less worthy, does it? I don't know," he faltered, dropping his eyes again. "It's silly."

"It's not silly," Kurt whispered, rounding the counter and taking Blaine into his arms. "I think it's adorable. I think _you're_ adorable," he added, kissing Blaine on the tip of his nose, his heart squeezing when Blaine sniffled and blinked away a tear.

"Well," Blaine said after a moment, clearing his throat gently as they broke their embrace, "you don't have to keep it here," he offered. "I could take it home."

"No!" Kurt argued. "You bought it for here and it's going to stay here," he insisted, rotating the pumpkin this way and that, righting it when it inevitably toppled over. Maybe he could get a big book behind it a prop the poor thing up. He smirked, remembering a rather large unabridged dictionary that would do the job quite well.

"Okay," Blaine smiled. "I suppose if you wanted, you could…" he waved his hand vaguely in the air, "and 'poof!' Perfect pumpkin," he suggested, still smiling, but with hesitation in his eyes.

Kurt regarded the pumpkin seriously, tapping his finger against his lips thoughtfully. "You know," he finally said, turning and grinning at the sight of Blaine's hopeful face, "I think I'll keep it exactly like this. It's perfectly imperfect in its own wonderful sort of way, and I wouldn't change a thing about it."

He was answered with an armful of happy fiancé. Blaine hugged him hard, tucking his face into Kurt's neck. "Thank you," he mumbled.

Kurt hugged him back, knowing this was about so much more than a misshapen squash. "You're welcome, love," he replied, holding Blaine a little bit tighter.

A sudden thought struck Kurt, and he pulled back, sliding his hands to Blaine's shoulders and staring at him with wide eyes. "I'm going to end up with a two-foot tall half bald Charlie Brown Christmas tree in a couple of months, aren't I?" he blurted.

Blaine smirked sheepishly and blushed, telling Kurt all he needed to know.

_A/N: Hope you liked my silly little story. They had pumpkins out at the store today, and I saw one that was rather lopsided. Next thing I knew, this idea popped into my head. I may need to go back and buy the sad little lopsided pumpkin…_


End file.
